What Kind of Book Should My Child be Reading?
Choosing a Just Right Book
We teach students the 5-Finger Rule for choosing a just right book.
Read one page of the book and put up one finger for each tricky word you encounter
on that page.
Book Levels (see below)
0 fingers: too easy Independent Level
1-3 fingers: just right Instructional Level
4-5 fingers: quite hard, go slow Instructional/Frustration Level
5 or more fingers: too hard for now Frustration Level
Book Levels
Books fall into three categories of levels for each reader. These categories are
Independent level, Instructional level, and Frustration level.
A book that is at a student’s independent level is one which he/she can read
fluently without errors and comprehend independently. Books in the independent
category are ideal for practicing reading fluency and applying new reading
strategies. Teachers introduce new skills and strategies with these books, so that
students can devote all their effort to using the new skill while not getting bogged
down with comprehension difficulties. These are books your child can read alone at
home.
A book that is at a student’s instructional level is one which he/she can read with
the support of a teacher or reading partner. The student may need support with
decoding and/or comprehension. Books in the instructional category are used for
guided reading within the classroom, when the teacher’s goal is to teach students to
apply decoding and comprehension strategies already learned. These are books your
child should read with a parent or older sibling at home.
A book that is at a student’s frustration level is too difficult for the student to
read. The text may contain many words the student cannot decode or vocabulary
he/she may not understand. The text may be too sophisticated, containing
inferential clues or figurative language that is beyond the student’s developmental
ability. These books are inappropriate for independent reading and for instruction,
but you may read them aloud to your child to expand their vocabulary, providing the
content is appropriate.
LOWER SCHOOL SUGGESTED SUMMER READING - 2009
Below is an updated list of suggested titles for summer reading. (It can also be found on the NFS
website under the heading “Lower School.”) Remember, there is no required reading for lower
school students, these are merely suggestions. Titles are categorized by grade and age ranges
(pre-school, beginning readers ages 5-7, young readers ages 8-10, and advanced readers ages 11-
13). Students’ reading levels and interests vary greatly, even within the same grade level, so we
encourage you to help your child use the guidelines for choosing a just right book. These have
been modeled and practiced throughout the year in lower school. The newly published titles in
each category come from The Reading Teacher’s Children’s Choices and Teachers’ Choices for
2008. The majority of the titles are available at local libraries. Newer titles are available at
Barnesandnoble.com or Amazon.com (synopses of all titles are available at these websites).
- Pam Reifsneider, Developmental Studies
Pre-School (up to age 4)
Mockingbird Alan Ahlberg
Duck in the Truck Jez Alborough
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom John Archambault
IGood Nihgt, Baby Bear Frank Asch
When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry… Molly Bang
Move Over Rover! Karen Beaumont
Moo Baa La La La Sandra Boynton
D.W.’s Lost Blankie Marc Brown
Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel Virginia Burton
Koala Lou Mem. Fox
Is Your Mama a Llama? Deborah Giaromp
Dr. White Jane Goodall
Max Bob Graham
Kitten’s First Full Moon Kevin Henkes
Arf! Beg! Catch! Dogs From A to Z Henry Horenstein
It’s My Birthday! Pat Hutchins
ABC Pop Rachel Isadora
Harold and the Purple Crayon Crockett Johnson
Mouse in Love Robert Kraus
The Owl and the Pussycat Edward Lear (Marshall)
My Monster Mama Loves Me So Laura Leuck
Froggy Goes to Bed Jonathan London
Hush Little Baby Sylvia Long
A Beasty Story Bill Martin, Jr.
Queit, Wyatt! Bill Maynard
Blueberries for Sal Robert McCloskey
I Love You Just the Way You Are Virginia Miller
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies Laura Numeroff
Bedhead Margie Palatini
We Belong Together Todd Parr
Everything to Spend the Night from A to Z Ann Whitford Paul
Not a Box Antonette Portis
Down by the Bay Raffi
Curious George H. A. Rey
Bunny Bungalow Cynthia Rylant
Shoo Fly! Iza Trapani
The Mouse That Snored Bernard Waber
Max’s Bath Rosemary Wells
There is a Bird on Your Head Mo Willems
What Dads Can Do Douglas Wood
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? Jane Yolen
Beginning Readers Grades K-2 (ages 5-7)
Frederick Leo Lionni
Go, Dog, Go Philip D. Eastman
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Laura Joffee Numeroff
Sheila Rae, The Brave Kevin Henkes
Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Bernard Waber
Ira Sleeps Over Bernard Waber
Millions of Cats Wanda Gag
Caps for Sale Esphyr Slobodkina
Blueberries for Sal Robert McCloskey
Frog and Toad Arnold Lobel
My Brother, Ant Betsy Byers
Peter’s Chair Ezra Jack Keats
The Napping House Audrey Wood
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble William Steig
Someday a Tree Eve Bunting
Miss Rumphius Barbara Cooney
Night Noises Mem Fox
A Birthday for Frances Russell Hoban
Stephanie’s Ponytail Robert Munsch
Sleeping Ugly Jane Yolen
Harry the Dirty Dog Gene Zion
It’s Not Fair Carl Sommer
Bunny Cakes Rosemary Wells
Series Books Grades K-2
Arthur Books Marc Brown
Horrible Harry Suzy Kline
The Berenstain Bears
Nate the Great Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
A-Z Mysteries Ron Roy
Junie B. Jones Barbara Park
Amber Brown Paula Danziger
Henry and Mudge Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putter and Tabby Cynthia Rylant
Step into Reading
Rookie Readers
DK Readers (nonfiction)
Amelia Bedelia Peggy Parish
An I Can Read Book Syd Hoff, Arnold Lobel
Ready to Read
Dr. Seuss
Pinky and Rex James Howe
Magic Tree House Mary Pope Osborne
My Weird School Series Dan Gutman (gr.2)
Newly Published Titles Grades K-2
Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story From the Underground Railroad Ellen Levine
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? Margaret McNamara
Library Mouse Daniel Kirk
The Orange Shoes Trinka Hakes Noble
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme Marianne Berkes
The Rainforest Grew All Around Susan K. Mitchell
A Seed is Sleepy Dianna Hutts
The Adventures of Max and Pinky, Best Buds Maxwell Eaton
Big Bug Surprise Julia Gran
Bunny Wishes: A Winter’s Tale Michaela Morgan
Chester Melanie Watt
Deep in the Swamp Donna M. Bateman
Delicious! A Pumpkin Soup Story Helen Cooper
Dino-Dinners Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom
Dino-Hockey Lisa Wheeler
Duck, Duck, Goose Tad Hills
Five Monkeys Go Shopping Eileen Christelow
Frankie Stein Lola M. Schaefer
Ginger Bear Mini Grey
Grumpy Bird Jeremy Tankard
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? Jane Yolen
How to Be a Baby, by Me the Big Sister Sally Lloyd-Jones
I’d Really Like to Eat a Child Sylviane Donnio
Millie Waits for the Mail Alexander Steffensmeier
The Perfect Nest Catherine Friend
Polar Slumber Dennis Rockhill
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy Tedd Arnold
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark Ken Geist
Tyson the Terrible Diane Fox and Christyan Fox
Young Readers Gr.3-5 (ages 8-10)
A Week in the Woods Andrew Clements
A Rat’s Tale Tor Seidler
A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of A Stray Ann Martin
The Legend of the Teddy Bear Frank Murphy
Berta, A Remarkable Dog Celia Barker Lottridge
Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster Debra Frasier
The Four Ugly Cats in Apartment 3D Marilyn Sachs
Throwing Smoke Bruce Brooks
Owen Foote, Soccer Star Stephanie Green
Time Stops for No Mouse: A Hermuz Tantamoq Adventure Michael Hoeye
Dial-a-Ghost Eva Ibbotson
Little Rat Sets Sail Monika Bang-Campbell
Time Cat Lloyd Alexander
Sounder William Armstrong
The Big Wave Pearl Buck
The Midnight Fox Betsy Byars
Wanted: Mud Blossom Betsy Byars
The White Mountains John Christopher
Dear Mr. Henshaw Beverly Cleary
Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher Bruce Coville
Danny, Champion of the World Roald Dahl
The Castle in the Attic Elizabeth Winthrop
Knight’s Castle Edward Eager
Harriet the Spy Louise Fitzhugh
The Million Dollar Shot Dan Gutman
King of the Wind Marguerite Henry
Just Juice Karen Hesse
Snow Dog Jim Kjelgaard
A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle
Ella Enchanted Gail Carson Levine
Afternoon of the Elves Janet Taylor Lisle
Number the Stars Lois Lowry
Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O’Dell
Hatchet Gary Paulsen
The Islander Cynthia Rylant
Summer Reading is Killing Me Jon Scieszca
Black Beauty Ann Sewell
Dragonwings Laurence Yep
Cheaper by the Dozen Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth
American Tall Tales Mary Pope Osborne
Superfudge Judy Blume
The Great Gilly Hopkins Katherine Paterson
The Westing Game Ellen Raskin
Series Gr.3-5
Judy Moody Megan McDonald
The High Rise Private Eyes Cynthia Rylant
Nancy Drew Girl Detective Carolyn Keene
The Little House Series Laura Ingalls Wilder
Ramona Books Beverly Cleary
Henry books Beverly Cleary
The Zack Files Dan Greenburg
The Black Stallion Walter Farley
The Great Brain John D. Fitzerald
The Time Warp Trio Jon Scieszka
My Side of the Mountain Jean C. George
Redwall Brian Jacques
Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis
Rats of NIMH Robert C. O'Brien
Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Sideways Stories from Wayside School Louis Sachar
A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket
The Spiderwick Chronicles Tony DiTerlizzig and Holly Black
A House Called Awful End (1st of a trilogy) Philip Ardagh
Matt Christopher Sports Series Matt Christopher
Poppy Series Avi
The 39 Clues Gordon Korman
Newly Published Gr.3-5
A Friendship for Today Patricia C. McKissack
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick
The Mutiny on the Bounty Patrick O’Brien
A Song for Harlem: Scraps of Time, 1928 Patricia C. McKissack
Spiders Nic Bishop
Sweet Land of Liberty Deborah Hopkinson
The Titanic: An Interactive History of Adventure Bob Temple
When Is a Planet Not a Planet? The Story of Pluto Elaine Scott
The Amazing Spider-Man Pop-Up Marvel Comics
Animals in the House: A History of Pets and People Sheila Keenan
Babymouse: Camp Babymouse Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Babymouse: Heartbreaker Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Big Cats: Hunters of the Night Elaine Landau
Could You? Would You? Trudy White
Crazy Cars Matt Doeden
Dare to Dream! Carl Sommer
Dinosaurium: 10 Books in One Laura Buller and Carey Scott
Dinosaurs Across America Phil Yeh
Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World’s Best-Kept Secrets John Farndon
Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the WOOF Society Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffy and Laurie Myers
Dogs Meish Goldish
Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case Donald J. Sobol
Every Minute on Earth: Fun Facts That Happen Every 60 Seconds Steve Murrie
Explorer: A Daring Guide for Young Adventurers Dugald A. Steer
Extreme Dinosaurs Robert Mash
Extreme Pets! Jane Harrington
Goosebumps Graphiz 3: Terror Trips R.L. Stine
A Horse in the House and Other Strange but True Animal Stories Gail Ablow
How Big Is It? A BIG Book All About BIGNESS Ben Hillman
Medical Detective Dogs Frances E. Ruffin
Military Dogs Frances E. Ruffin
Monday With a mad Genius Mary Pope Osborne
Mythology Dugald A. Steer
Old Penn Station William Low
The Painted Circus Wallace Edwards
Race Horses Michael Sandler
Real-Life Sea Monsters Judith Jango-Cohen
The Richest Poor Kid Carl Sommer
See What You Can Be: Explore Careers That Could Be for You! Diane Heiman and Liz Suneby
Spike the Rebel! Carl Sommer
Turtle Summer: A Journal for My Daughter Mary Alice Monroe
Wolves Duncan Searl
The Worst Name in Third Grade Debbie Dadey
Newly Published for Advanced Readers gr.6-8 (ages 11-13)
Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam Cynthia Kadohata
Reaching for Sun Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming Al Gore. Adapted by Jane O’Connor
Beowulf: Monster Slayer Paul D. Storrie
Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems John Grandits
Bone#5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border Jeff Smith
Bone #6 Old Man’s Cave Jeff Smith
The Book of Time Guillaume prevost
The Cat Master Bonnie Pemberton
Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now Lauren Child
The Companions Quartet, Book One: Secret of the Sirens Julia Golding
Demonkeeper Royce Buckingham
Eli Remembers Ruth Vander Zee and Marian Sneider
Encyclopedia Horrifica: The Terrifying TRUTH About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters and More
Joshua Gee
Feathers Jacqueline Woodson
Ghosts Stephen Krensky
Girl Wonders Karen Salmansohn
Lawn Boy Gary Paulsen
Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff Jennifer L. Holm
Nancy Drew Graphic Novels, Girl Detective #9: Ghost in the Machinery Stefan Petrucha
The Phantom Isles Stephen Alter
Twelve Lauren Myracle
Way Down Deep Ruth White
Wildwood Dancing Juliet Marillier